Vending-machine



NICDOWELL GRAVES.

VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED sEPLz. |916. RENEwEn DEC. 12.1918.

Patented July 22, 1919.

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THB coLuMBm PLANUDRAPH C0.. WASHINTGN. D. C.

TED srArEs ,PAENT oEEioE.

ivreDowELr. eRAvEs, or Los ANGEL-Es,- oALiEoRNiA, AssIGNoR, EY MEsNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO R. A.' DALLUGGE, 0F LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

i VENDINGr-MACI-IINE. I,

' seeeieetioiier Letters relient; Patentd July 2% 19151 Application inea september' 2, 191e, seriei ne.1152168.: 'neiiewea December 12,` 191s. serial Ne, 266,509.:

To all 'whom t 'may 'conceri' p i Be it known thatA I, MoDowELL GRAvEs,

Va citizen .of the United States, residing at` Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles,

State of California, have invented new'and" useful Improvements in Vendir ig-hlamchines, of which-the following a specification.

This invention 4relates to vending` ma-A chines and particularly to vending machines for articles contained iii-boxes or otherwise l forming a flat, hoax-like package; aiid itis'A an object of this invention to provide` asim-,

pleandreliable mechanism for vendingsuch articles. It is alsoV an object toprovide a mechanism which maybe cheaplyand effi# ciently manufactured and a mechanism which will loe effective and dependable in `In the following specification I, explainl the Amechanism of my vending machine together with afcoin controlled mechanism. particularly adapted to operate thlsvending Y machine; but the coin controlled mechanism 1 is the suloject` matter of my co-pending ap-` plication S. N. 118,169, filed-Sept..` 2,' 1916,

` and` ofthe claims therein. Inlthis `application VI .desire to particularly claim the vending machine itself; that is,.the mechanism which delivers out-a. package from the number of packages thehopper.

The operation of delivering-.a package involves a simple hack and forth movement of Y the parts. Inl a typical and preferred form of apparatus,jI provide a pivotally movahleV hopper fromfwhose lower endthe packages? are delivered; A simple hackf-and-forth movement of the hopper causes the flowermost package tolbe -deli'veredfhy causing that package to `move""ydownwardlyr from onef support' or set ofsupports Ato "aiiotherfuntilit is entirely free ofthe hopper.` "h/loveinenty in* one; direction i 'drops the package from" an upper set of .supports'to alowerset of supports and movement inthe opposite dij rection frees the package and allows ittobe finally delivered. flem thelmeheesm 1I describe alpreferredformof machine in the following specification" and illustrate the.

same in :the accompanying ,drawings in. which: Figure 1 isacentral vertical' cross section of a .preferred form of my f machine Fig. Q is a vertical-section of` the lower part ofthe machine takenfas indicatedhy line';V

2 "2 onFig. Vl; Fig.` 3 lisa horizontal seo-1 Vtionjtakeii as indicatedhy line 3-3 on Fig.

l'aiid Fig. 1 is a central. vertical cross section .of-thelower parts of the apparatusv hopper is s' ubstantialliy open, as shown; in the various views, the Yfront being formed ofy two narrow `side strips. 14;. The .package supportingfeet 13 are, located at the opposite sides of the front" hehind these` frontV strips 14. The-floack of the. hopper iscut away formingianfedge `at 15. Beneath thisp edge and projecting into the hopper through the cut awayportion- AI` place. a stationary package supporting shelf 16.` `The ver tical ,distance between' ed'gel and shelf 16 is less than the vertical thickness of a pack# age tohe vended.. Q'The side walls o-f the' hopperfextendfoii downwardly as shown at 11 helowthe feetll?) and edge 15; and a package supporting shelf 17` is carried. at the lower end Vof the sidewalls, said shelf being normallyhelowsthe `stationary shelf 16. A .pair ofl stop members 2Q is mounted forward of j the hopper and in such position-that, when the hopper. is swung` forwardly, the stop members will project intoits frontesideJ` at its lower end. Each of these membersQO hasI a Alower-package` supporting foot 21 which projects'farther intothehopper.y

Vlith the foregoing described construction in mind, the operationk of `ftheV device may` loe'V readily understood. ,l In i the `first movement theh pperis swung `forwardly to theposition `shown intFigpd. ,The first effeet of this movement ,is-to Noa-use ythe `edge 15 of the hopper to engage the rear upperedge of the lowermost package, asshown in dotted lines at 30, and tomove the lowermost edge` of the` ,packageolil the stationary shelf 16 and allow it to drop onto the hopper shelf 17, which has movedforwardly with the hopper; the forward edge ofthe package still resting upon the package supporting feet V13: When the packageis in this position Ythe hopper cannot bey moved rearwardly unless it is iirst `moved :far-ther forwardly; Any attempted rearward move-` ment` will not change the position .off the package and will not prevent the package Y' Fig. 4. When this position ofthespackag'e` Y moved rearwardly with relation to the hopper until its forward edge leaves the feet 13 and` falls onto the, stationary feetz21.` 1 Or,f-

infother words, the package is held from further forward movement'by stop members'20v f while the feet 13 move out from under it.

This position is shown in dottedlines in is reached, thejrearward motion of the hopper 1s begun.` When the hopper moveslrearwardly the package'is prevented from rear- ,ward movement. by its rear 'edge moving back against the stationary shelf 16. 1 Con-Y sequentlythe movable shelf 1'( merely moves rearwardly from` under the rear Vedge of the package, whose forward edgefis still Y restingnpon the feet 21; and,fwhen the shelf 17 hasmoved completely from under therear edge of the package, thefrearedge drops and the packagef starts,`rear edge first,

YY down Vover the delivery chut 31' I show inthe drawing a simple coin-`co1l trolled mechanism ffor 'causing` the desired movement ofthe-*delivery mechanism. 'A

if shelf 41 Tattached-to'V the lower ffront edge of the hopper 11, said shelfr beingbelow the` package supporting1feetr21. The shelf'41`k has a coin passage or'opening 42 through its p forward edge directly4 beneath thechute 4 0 1' A coinv fed intothe cliute'40 will drop down throughthe .opening 42, (it is immaterial for the resent how the` `coin is vvfedinto i Y chute 40 The coin passing' through the4 opening 42 falls into an inclined 'trough 48,' t which is? mounted upon: a frame. 44 pivotally mounted at 45.. TheY frame 44 normally stands in aposition shownlin Fig', 1 with the coinftrou'gh'43 directly below the opening" .42.l When the coin isinsertedfit immedi-` ately falls gtoQthe'positicn shown: at, C in AVFigsf'a`nd2. 'The framez44'has a handle 46 projecting outside the' case, and down? ward movement of' thehandle will cause forward` movement: of the`.' upper end, of the` frame. Forward movement rof the 'upper end ofthe frame, will, Vthrough the'connection of theV coin Vat "C, cause forward,move'e` ment of the she1f`41 and of the hopperfto which it is attachedQfOnce this forward mo'veI'nent-is started, a hook 47, which eX- tends outj from the back of frame 44, will1 engage around the loweredge of., a lip or angei48` fon vshelf 41 g 'subseoiuent for` ward 'movement of the" frame 44 will cause) forward movement `of the hopper, through Y the medium ofthe hook'47 and lip .48. But

if-the frame'44 befmoved forwardly without;l inserting a coin, the hook 47111 its for'-l radjmeremert vill Het, @marseille Hr 4.8.

pertin but will pass underneath it. v [n otherwords,V

the coinforms a connection between the frame 44 and the hopper during the first part of the movement untilthe hook 47 engages lip 48; but as soon as this engagement hasltaken place, ,then the hopper may be moved forward through the medium of the Yhook47.' Now, as the sheltl 41 and thejcoin trough 43 move` forwardly, thecoin passage 42 beginsto occupy more' and morefsucha position relative to the trough 43 as illus-l. trated in F ig. 4, the distance between pas" sage 42rand trough 43 becoming greater than'thediameter ofthe coin g" with'the re?! sultithat the upper edgefof thev Vcoin moves;

down, or drops dowmoutof the'passage 42 andl moves outA of operative relation to fthe parts. The coinfeither snapsj out ofv opening 4,2,V or'it may merely move down 'from the opening and then roll down the inclined trough 43; It will be noted that the'coinis Y' not released untill thefparts reichV such a position thatthe hook 471 has Y first ,engaged lip 48 and ythen the vpackagehasjfallen to the l Y first movedfpos'ifti'oii; Y e. its position with its `forward edge'still onfeet and-Sits rear edge 'dropped Tonto shelf 17j; in whiclifp'ositionY the j package prevents L reaiwaidf move- I l y i p mentofthe hopper. com chute vor slot 401s mounted upon y Consequently, is im` possible to loosel the packageafter the coinis dropped, as fit is then only possiblefto "come"YY plete the forward strokefof-the Vhopper,` and the machinefitself-'then completes the-rearlL ward stroke which deliversthepackage.` A

spring atQpidrawsgtlie frame 44'back toits Anormal Yposltiomiand, through the mediumV ofthe engagement'ofsthe `shoulder 17a-with Y normal positionrf It vis 'duringv thisflast mentioned movement that the package 3Q ,the lip4`8, throwsthe hopper back to, its;V

is finally deliveredKV Thev coin must :neces-V I sarily be discharged, from its; position where.

it acts as a connective member, at the for-` ward en d ofthe V'movement ;V while itfis nec" 1.111 avending; machine, a@ stationary' frame'hevne a packagesurrortinashelf, a

horizontally-Y, movable hopper havingV packv age .Supportingparte Opposite the VStations"VV aryshelf, 'a movable packageysupporting' shelf, and a stationar-ypackagesupporting package supporting.

member-beneath ,the parts onthehopper;V4 y l Y H 2. In-a vending machine, a frame, a hori# zontally `movable Vhopperfji'zi i",said` frame, saidy, Y

hopper having a package supporting .partvat as front lever edge, the baer lower pareti: -Y the hopper being cnt aizvay,` a stationary,

Package Supporting shelf EOieCtie ntoi 'the hopperjjat the back oppositethe package sup:v`

LPr-tjes thaflretef tlelnrrsathei i?? (vertical distance between said stationary shelf and the lower edge of the back of the hopper being less than the vertical thickness of a package to be vended, a package supporting shelf carried by the hopper beneath said stationary shelf at a distance therefrom less than the thickness of the package, and stationary package supporting means beneath the package supporting part on the front of the hopper at a distance below the same greater than the thickness of the package to bc vended.

3. In a vending machine, a frame, a hopper pivoted at its upper end in said frame, said hopper having a package supporting part at its front lower edge, the back lower part of the hopper being cut away, a stationary package supporting shelf projecting into the hopper at the back opposite the package supporting Ypart on the front of the hopper, the vertical distance between said stationary shelf and the lower edge of the back of the hopper being less than the vertical thickness of a package to be vended, a package supporting shelf carried by the hopper beneath said stationary shelf at a distance therefrom less than the thickness of a package, and stationary package supporting means beneath the package supporting part on the front o-f the hopper at a distance below the same greater than the thickness of the package to be vended.

4. In a vending machine, the combination of a movable package supporting part and a stationary package supporting part arranged opposite each other, another movable package supporting part movable with the first mentioned movable part and vertically Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the spaced from the said stationary supporting part by a distance less than the thickness of a package to be vended, and another stationary package supporting part vertically spaced from the first mentioned movable supporting part by a distance greater than the thickness of said package.

5. In a vending machine, a stationary frame, a normally vertical hopper mounted upon a horizontal pivot at its upper end on the frame, package supporting parts at the lower front edge of the hopper, the rear lower part of the hopper being open, a stationary package supporting shelf mounted upon the frame and projecting into the hopper at its back open portion opposite the front package supporting parts, so that a package may normally rest upon said packi age supporting parts and said shelf, the lower edge of the back of the hopper being below the upper edge of a package resting upon said shelf, a package supportin shelf carried by the hopper across its baci side beneath the stationary shelf at a vertical distance therefrom less than the thickness of the package, and stationary package supporting parts beneath the front package supporting parts on the hopper at a distance therefrom greater than the thickness of said package.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 17th day of August 1916. f

MCDOWEL'L GRAVES.

Witnesses:

JAMES T. BARKELEW, ELwooD H. BARKELEW.`

Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

